Tack-supplying mechanism



April 19, 1927 v A. M LONG TACK SUPPLYING MECHANISM Filed June 17. 1924 'Ill/llllll Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN M. LONG, OF MARSHALL, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NE? JERSEY.

TAGK-SUPPLYING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 17, 1924. Serial No. 720,710.

This invention relates to tack supplying mechanism having raceways for delivering the tacks, and more particularly to mechanism of that type in which a tack clearing device is provided for dislodging any tacks that may be so positioned as to obstruct the free passage of the tacks along their raceways. A well known organization of this character comprises a rotatable tack clearer extending across the raceways near their upper ends and mounted within a receptacle the front wall of which is attached to a cover plate extending across the raceways and partially under the tack clearer, together with a rotary tack hopper which is operated intermittently to raise a supply of tacks and deliver them upon the upper eX- posed ends of the raceways. In the operation of this mechanism some of the tacks delivered from the tack hopper are likely to be thrown upon the tack clearer or to lodge upon the cover plate extending partially under the clearer, and as a result tacks sometimes accumulate under the tack clearer in such numbers as to interfere with its operative movement. .In this type .of mechanism, moreover, such tacks as it is necessary to add from time to time to the source of supply in the tack hopper are introduced through the top of the receptacle in which the tack clearer is mounted, and unless great care is exercised, some of these tacks also may fall upon the tack cleareror may lodge beneath it.

An object of this invention is to guard against such intereference with the operation of the track clearer as may result from the causes above mentioned. To this end, the invention provides means for catching or deflecting such tacks as might otherwise fall upon the tack clearer, the construction shown comprising a guard or deflector eX- tending over the tack clearer and inclined in such manner as to direct into the tack hopper any tacks that fall upon it. This deflector, in the construction illustrated, comprises a sheet metal member so shaped that it may be hung upon the front wall of the receptacle which incloses the tack clearer. Important advantages of this construction are that the deflector may be readily applied to existing machines without any change in the structure of the matack hopper.

chines, and that it may be readily removed at any time to permit convenient access to the tack clearer.

The invention will now be more partic ularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig; 1 is a perspective View of tack supplying mechanism of a well known type with the present invention applied thereto, portions of the mechanism being broken away to show interior parts;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a portion of the mechanism, and

Fig. 8 shows the tack deflector detached, with a portion of it broken away to illustrate its structure more clearly.

The tack supplying mechanism herein shown is of the same general type as that illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,107,337, granted on August 18, 1914 on an application of R. F. McFeely, to

which reference may be made for a more complete understanding of details of the organization. Such mechanism comprises a group of tack delivering raceways 2 and an intermittently oscillated tack hopper 4 having interior shelves 6 which raise the tacks and deliver them over the upper end portions of the raceways so that some of them will become properly lodged in the raceways, the surplus tacks returning to the Mounted over the raceways and opening into the front of the tack hopper is a receptacle 8 the front wall of which is curved rearwardly as shown at 10 and is attached to a cover plate 12 which is mounted over the raceways at a short dis tance from their upper ends, this cover plate having grooves 14 in the plane of the raceways to permit the heads of the tacks to pass downward along the raceways. EX- tending across the raceways over the curved face of the cover plate 12 is a tack clearer comprising a rotatably mounted member '16 having in the plane of each raceway a series of slid-ably mounted fingers 18 operating as explained in said prior lVIcFeely patent to dislodge from the entrance to the covered portions of the raceways any tacks that may become lodged in such manner as to obstruct the movement of the tacks along over the tack clearer the raceways. The tack clearer is rotated intermittently by movement of the tack hopper 4 through pawl and ratchet mechanism shown at in Fig. 1. On the top of the receptacle 8 is a hinged cover which may be raised to aliord access to the interior of the receptacle at any time when it is necessary to replenish the supply of tacks or to gain access to the tack clearer.

For the purposes in view the invention, in its illustrative embodiment, provides a memher 2% over the tack clearer for catching or deflecting any tacks that might otherwise tall upon the tack clearer or upon the cover plate beneath it. is herein illustrated, this member is made of sheet metal and has a hoekshaped portion to fit over the upper edge 01. the front wall of the receptacle 8, an outturned part 26 being provided for convenience in detaching the member from the receptacle.

That portion of the member 24 which is is inclined to the horizontal so as to direct rearwardly into the tack hopper any tacks that may fall upon the member, whether these tacks comprise some of those delivered by the tack hopper in its operative movements or tacks that might otherwise tall upon the tack clearer when tacks are introduced through the top of the receptacle 8.

It will be seen that by the use of the present invention substantial insurance is afiorded against any such accumulation of tacks under the tack clearer as to interfere with its action during the operation of the machine, and that the operator also is relieved of the need of exercising such care as has been necessary heretofore in introducing a fresh supply of tacks into the tack hopper. Important advantages, moreover, of the construction shown are that the tack de i'lector may be applied to existing machines without any change in the structure of the machines, and that it may be readily detached at any time desired. It will be observed that the thin sheet metal member an bracing the upper edge of the front wall of the receptacle 8 does not interfere to any objectionable extent with the closing of the receptacle by the cover 22.

it will be recognized that the invention is not limited in utility to mechanism utilizing fastenings oi the particular form herein illustrated, and the term tack is accordingly used herein in a generic rather than a restricti ve sense.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Jnited States is:

l. in mechanism of the class described, a raceway, means for delivering tacks upon said raceway, a tack clearer over the raceway, a receptacle in which said tack clearer is mounted, said receptacle having a portion underlying the tack clearer and extending over the raceway, and a readily detachable guard in said receptacle extending over the tack clearer for preventing tacks from fall 111g upon the tack clearer and upon said underlying portion of the receptacle.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a plurality of inclined raceways, means for delivering tacks upon said raceways, a receptacle over the raceways having a portion formed to serve as a cover for the raceways below their upper ends, a rotary tack clearer in said receptacle having parts movable along said cover to dislodge misplaced tacks from the entrances to'the cover portions'o't the raceways, and a deflector in said receptacle arranged to prevent tacks from falling upon the tack clearer and over the entrances to the covered portions of the raceways.

3. In mechanism of the class described, a plurality of inclined raceways, a tack hopper for delivering tacks upon said raceways, a receptacle over the raceways in front of the tack hopper and opening rearwardly into the tack hopper, said receptacle having an opening in its top through which tacks may be introduced into the tack hopper and having a portion formed to serve as a cover for the raceways below their upper ends, a rotary tack clearer in said receptacle under it tack-receiving opening for dislodging misplaced tacks from the entrances to the covered portions of the raceways, and a detlector in the receptacle inclined rearwardly over the tack clearer for directing into the tack hopper tacks introduced through said openin d. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a plurality of raceways, a tack hopper for delivering tacks upon said raceways, and a tack clearer over the raceways :tor dislodging misplaced tacks, of a member so shaped as to be suspended over said tack clearer tor shielding said tack clearer from tacks that might otherwise tall thereon while being instantly detachable to aiiord access to the clearer.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a plurality of raceways, a tack hopper for delivering tacks upon said raceways, and a tack clearer over the raceways 't'or dislodging misplaced tacks, of a readily detachable sheet metal deflector having a portion inclined rearwardly over the tack clearer for directing surplus tacks into the tack hopper and having also a hookshaped portion for suspending it in operative position.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a plurality of raceways, a tack hopper for delivering tacks upon said raceways, a receptacle over the raceways opening into said tack hopper and having an opening in its top for receiving tacks, and a tack clearer in'said receptacle for dislodging misplaced tacks, of a detachable deflector so shaped as to be hung upon the upper edge of the Wall of said receptacle and having a portion extending rearwardly over the tack clearer to prevent tacks from falling upon the tack clearer.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a plurality of race- Ways, a tack hopper for delivering tacks upon said raceways, a receptacle over the raceWays opening into said tack hopper and having an opening in its top for receiving tacks, and a tack clearer in said receptacle for dislodging misplaced tacks, of a detachable deflector comprising a sheet metal member bent to embrace the upper edge of the front Wall of said receptacle and having a portion inclined rearwardly in the receptacle over the tack clearer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

AUSTIN M. LONG. 

